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Formal entrance created using single car garage

Nailbag
Kind of a Big Deal
Nailbag
Nailbag
Kind of a Big Deal

 

A single garage was sacrificed to create a formal front entrance and significantly enhance the street appeal of this home. It was the winner of best outdoor project in our 2024 search for Australia's best D.I.Y. projects.

 

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The project

 

I bought this house that had the front entrance on a second level at the back of the house. Obviously not ideal, especially when it came to deliveries. The only option in creating a new front entrance was to sacrifice the single garage. This is how how did it.

 

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Steps

 

Step 1

 
The first step was to apply for a building permit and have drawing submitted, to be able to legally have the entrance classed as a living space.
 
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The ground in front had to be dug out below the concrete slab and a drain installed across the front to ensure no water ingress.

 

Then the roller door was removed.

 

Step 2

 

I ordered a 1100mm solid timber door preinstalled to a jamb with side glazing. Once that arrived I was able to frame out the old garage opening to suit.

 

I needed a hand from a mate with this project in various stages to help lift and position the new door into place.

 

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Step 3

 

Around the same time I was also preparing the external brick work for rendering as they were not flat and needed to be hand ground down.

 

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I fixed blue-board to the out entrance frame which was to be inlayed with a feature stone tile. Then tested the entrance with my first little visitor.

 

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Step 4

 
Next was to render the blue-board, then pre-wire for feature lights and a Ring smart doorbell before installing the stonework.
 
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With the drainage installed and approved I built a small entrance deck leading up the front door and landscaped each side.

 

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Step 5

 

With the external entrance part-finished, it was time to start on the internal space by cladding the brick with plasterboard and building a dividing wall within the old garage. Behind which will eventually be a small living space as part of a new guest bedroom.

 

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Step 6

 

I wanted to open the staircase up leading to the 2nd main level of the house as it was very narrow.

 
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I was inspired by some designs I had seen, and came up with a timber-slated feature that I made from Tassie Oak. Once made, I then cut and prepared the staircase frame to accomodate.

 

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I underestimated how heavy this was and called on my mate to give me a hand to install it. Then I was able to finish the walls.

 

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Step 7

 

The left hand back wall was plasterboard which I finished with a Deluxe texture paint. The right side was MDF panelling, allowing me to fix 19mm x 42mm DAR Pine to.

 

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Step 8

 

I mounted timber blocks to the centre of the wall to fix a round feature miterer to give the impression it was floating off the rear wall. I had pre-run a cable to the back ready for an LED light strip that I wrapped around behind the mirror. 

 

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Step 9

 

Next step was to tile over the old concrete floor with large format tiles.

 

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Then install the skirting, architraves and paint the walls.

 

Step 10

 

Last job was to fit a new feature light and the project was completed.

 

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Tools and materials

 

Materials used in the project:

 

 

Tools used in the project:

 

 

Comments
Dave-1
Community Megastar

Congratulations @Nailbag 

Shaking my head at the level of work and even above that the level of detail that you do. Impressed no end :smile:

 

Love it!

 

 

Dave

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